First Water Systems releases white paper on county plan for clean water during emergencies | 01.30.2008 | 10:49:40 | Views: 2851 | ID:

January 30 '08: A white paper has been released by First Water Inc., which outlines a plan to deliver potable water to counties affected by a disaster. The company said its water purification technology, "will augment current options and enhance the County's ability to respond to any type of disaster where water quality or availability is comprised," rather than replacing current bottled water delivery systems.

Because of problems facing counties and water delivery systems, such as logistics, cost, and the state of the infrastructure to deliver the water after the disaster, First Water Inc., has developed three water purification solutions - The Responder™, Outpost™, and In-Line™. All the solutions use "High strength ultraviolet (UV), which purifies without chemicals and is 30,000 times more powerful than chlorine," the white paper wrote. While its "[a]ctivated carbon ... has been proven to be the most effective way possible to remove chemicals, taste and odor."

The Responder-S™ is a portable, carried water filtration device which can be operated either by 12-volt batteries or a solar panel. The Responder-T™ was designed "to mount directly on a fire apparatus or water-carrying vehicle". The Oupost™ (Outpost-4™ and Outpost-12™) series was designed to provide more water than The Responder™ models but is able to be carried in a "semi-portable package."

Finally, the In-Line™ "maintains the same purification capabilities ... but has been designed to mount directly on a building wall," thus having the need for power and waterlines. The In-Line™ "is perfect for facility ice machines, under sinks for general building usage and decontamination showers," the paper wrote.

Currently, the solutions are being used in more than 25 states by emergency management and fire department officials.